Recently the sites of several dilapidated factories, that had been left untouched due to the high concentrations of crime that had been going on around them, were purchased by a new guild. Prior to the purchase of the area, there had been other reports coming in, of a kitsune clad in black combat gear, wielding two short-swords moving around the area, and mercilessly cutting down the thieves that would not join her cause. After almost a week of this all reports ceased coming in, a day later a letter arrived stating the creation of a new guild, that of the thieves. Within the letter stated the measures they had gone to in order to minimise crimes, and outlined there policies towards thieves who were not within there own ranks, naming the recent culling in the manufacturing district as an example. Due to overall crime rate in the areas specified having dropped, the verdict was given, the thieves were to have there own guild, and a slight tax was to be paid to them, as a more sophisticated version of protection money.The "purchase" of the land went through, expedited by the fact that the factories were abandoned, and that the owners did not come forth to claim them, possibly silenced by threats or bribed to remain quiet.Construction was completed only yesterday, and the interior was completed today, so it is now that the guild, is officially complete, and will accept members.

The grounds consist of a rather simple configuration, of dorms, a converted warehouse, living areas, and a small building at the back, where Danbi lives, there is a low lying wall surrounding the complex. The area is protected by a series of enchantments, and it is expected that those who wish to visit, wait at the main gate for an escort, do not let that it is always open fool you, without a signet ring you will not be able to pass.

Those within the guild receive a marked ring, that they must wear at all times, and are expected to only steal from targets that have, not kept up with the tax, and that Danbi has not expressly forbidden. Those that are not within the guild and continue with there criminal ways will be executed, as will those who break the above conditions. Joining confers many benefits, training in Lock picking, Stealth, and Acrobatics, as well as receiving a cut of the tax as a weekly stipend, as well as a place to live, albeit a small one, though as more areas are constructed, the conditions and training will improve.

_________________If you are reading this, be safe in the knowledge that I controlled what you did for a few short seconds.

Xervo can see motion further into the guild, several initiates running about passing messages, though there are more slacking off, a few minutes later, when the message and been passed up the chain of command, Danbi leaves her living quarters and walks towards the gate, being waylaid once or twice by other members with, trivial matters. Annoyance is visible on her face for a moment before it returns to normal, the matter at hand having been dealt with.

"Sorry about the delay, there were some pressing matters, I had to deal with on the way over here, now tell me, what brings you here for the second time today?"

_________________If you are reading this, be safe in the knowledge that I controlled what you did for a few short seconds.

After Danbi asked him, Xervo instantaneously replied."I came here to show a product that I made. I would like to make a deal with you. It is a unique lockpick that I made, but I only had enough resources to make a prototype which is currently used by me. I would like to show it to you before we talk about the price."Xervo looks at Danbi and says. "I have no lock, so I would need you to bring me one, or let me enter the building."

"Hmm, well that is a simple request, the protections will ignore you if you kiss the ring."

Danbi imperiously holds out her hand towards Xevro.

"Though you could just touch it instead, ill leave it up to you. Anyway once you make your choice, follow me to the training area and we can test your invention against some of our, more capable members."

_________________If you are reading this, be safe in the knowledge that I controlled what you did for a few short seconds.

"Well, not many of them are, shall we say, competent, so its really just a formality, well barring the expert of course."

Both Xervo and Danbi enter one of the warehouses, and continue up the stairs, ignoring the acrobatics courses that are on the bottom floor, and making a beeline for the Room of requirement many lockpicks.

"Hey, people, I have someone here who says he can replace the lot of you with a technological device, you will be racing to open a series of progressively more difficult locks, victory conditions are either making it to the end of the series, or the furthest, if two people are stuck on the same lock it will be the first person to get there who wins, got it?"

Danbi lays out five rows of locks on the table, the final lock in each row seems to shimmer slightly in the light.

_________________If you are reading this, be safe in the knowledge that I controlled what you did for a few short seconds.

Xervo goes near the first box and opens up his finger revealing the lockpick. He places it near the lock, it automatically adapts to the lock. He inserts the lockpick in and starts turning it around. At a certain point the lockpick vibrates and a clicking noise can be heard, the lock is open.He did the same process to the next three locks without a problem.He inserts the lockpick into the final one, and starts lockpicking it. After a few seconds he backs away and looks at Danbi"This is an impossible feat with this lockpick, it only serves to ease normal lockpicking." Xervo explains it calmly to Danbi.

"Good, the first four locks were just variations on the basic design, just the general ones that are found around the city, the final one was a test, you will never get through it without the key, or taking it apart entirely, you see there are no teeth within that one, well no physical teeth."

Danbi gathers up the lockpicks and returns them to there rightful places on the wall, gesturing that those in the room can continue. Before motioning for Xervo to follow.

"Well you certainly seem to have passed that test, I'm sure we would be able to make good use out of these, it seems to me that all that remains is to discuss how many we are buying, over what time, and your prices."

Both people have now arrived at Danbi's office, and are now standing inside said room.

_________________If you are reading this, be safe in the knowledge that I controlled what you did for a few short seconds.

"I have no material to build more of them, this one was a prototype. Building one would take me four hours. How many would you like? The guild doesn't seem big at all, so I assume that you would need small quantity. I would require a certain amount of money ahead, because of the lack of materials. I can supply you monthly for a set price. You offer it, and I would require you to give me a certain percentage of the total price, depending on how much you offer. "Xervo extends his had, awaiting a handshake.

"We would need 30 of them, supplies for the members and spares for those that go missing, that would take you a fortnight or so, correct? For that number, I can offer you, 80 Enther for each lock-pick."

_________________If you are reading this, be safe in the knowledge that I controlled what you did for a few short seconds.

"80? I would rather have 160. I would give you a 6% discount because you are buying thirty of them.So that would mean that it would be 150 per pick.I would need 33 percent of the total money ahead. Does that sound okay?"

"Well, lets think, normally I would say split the difference, and offer to pay 120 for each, but in this case, it can be done magically, or by hand, oh and we are really the only people who will offer to buy these in bulk, so, my final offer is 1 Velli each, if you want more, add other incentives."

_________________If you are reading this, be safe in the knowledge that I controlled what you did for a few short seconds.

A series of notes ring out over the Thieves guild, and Danbi emerges from her office, just long enough to inform one of the others that she will not be available for a time, and that no one may enter the office for three days.

Returning to the hidden basement in the office there are now seven gold bells, with mahogany handles, magical runes swimming in both the metal and the wood, spells of strength, durability, and other more complex symbols that represent concepts, like loyalty. Yet each bell is missing the most important part, the clapper, for they can only be forged within death itself. She moves her hand to the pipes and places one down in front of each bell, reciting there names to herself, tapping them as she does so, all except the final one, whose name is a mere whisper.

"Ranna the sleeper, Mosrael the waker, Kibeth the walker, Dyrim the speaker, Belager the thinker, Saraneth the binder, Astarael the weeper."

This done, and all prepared, Danbi reaches for the obsidian dagger, engraved with runes that read Nehima, which after translation, means Forget me not. I lie down, next to the bells, and clasp the blade in my hand, moving it over to my chest, after speaking the appropriate incantation it falls, cutting through flesh and bone with ease, lodging itself in her heart. As the last breath is taken, the dagger encases both Danbi, the pipes, and the bells, in black ice. To protect the body, or as it now should be called, corpse, as she travels through death.

_________________If you are reading this, be safe in the knowledge that I controlled what you did for a few short seconds.

Xervo walks near the gate, calling the guards to let him in. He goes directly into the main building, Danbi's office. "Where is she now?" Xervo's eyes to bright red lights. "You were thinking that you can hide from me?" he says in a laughing manner.

Xervo opens the hidden door leading to the basement. He locates Danbi's frosted corpse in the middle of a circle. Xervo goes to the body and picks it up. "You will pay for my work, dead or alive, I don't care". Xervo calmly climbs up the stairs carrying the lifeless body. While he was leaving the office, a few guards see him carrying Danbi's frosted body.

"Nobody is getting the body until I get paid!" Xervo yells while drawing his sword out of the sheath.

As Danbi nears the guild, she spots a figure in the distance, standing perfectly still with one foot through the gate.

"Oh, this is brilliant, it actually worked! It should be wearing off, you will be able to move in a few more hours, if I take you out of the area that is, but for now you can talk. Tell me, why are you here?"

She waves her hand in front of Blaze's face, and the ring flashes restoring his ability to speak.

_________________If you are reading this, be safe in the knowledge that I controlled what you did for a few short seconds.

"Well, there is a job I need doing, seeing as there isn't time for me to attend to it myself, but it isn't of the type you were probably looking for. One of my associates, recently vanished, a woman Marcy, she looked like this."

Danbi conjures an illusory copy of Marcy's face above her hand.

"She has a house just outside this city, I don't know exactly where it is, but I need this message delivered to her. If you can get it to her, and confirm it has been done, appropriate payment will be arranged."

She releases Blaze from the enchantment holding him in place, and hands him a scroll sealed with wax.

"So, do you think you can do this for me?"

_________________If you are reading this, be safe in the knowledge that I controlled what you did for a few short seconds.